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Cancun's surroundings:
--- Other destinations ---
Beach destinations:
Big cities & metropolis:
Colonial cities:
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Xel-Ha
A must-to-see. A paradise for snorkeling and much more ...
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Tulum
At a cliff, one of the most impressive remains of the Maya Culture...
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Cenotes
Discover a miracle of nature and allow your senses to this wonders called cenotes ...
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Golf Club Mayan Resorts Riviera Maya
The firm Nicklaus Design is the responsible of this fabulous Golf Course, which creates an unprecedented challenge ...
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See all
 tours Riviera Maya
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The eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula fronts the Caribbean, and it
is the beaches above all that define this area known as the
Riviera Maya or
Mayan Riviera
-- soft, blinding
white strands of sand embracing clear turquoise waters, shorelines
that curve into calm lagoons, waves that crash against cliffs,
mangrove swamps with minuscule islands where only the birds
hold sway alongside freshwater cenotes (sinkholes).
Offshore, a magnificent coral reef
teems with marine life swimming lazily among the shipwrecks
and relics left by pirates, while inland, savannah gives way
to wetland to scrubby limestone terrain to jungle, the flora
and fauna varying with each setting. All this makes the Caribbean
coast, which borders Mexico's state of Quintana Roo (keen-tah-nah
roh-oh), a marvelous place for lovers of the outdoors.
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Riviera Maya: The Kingdom of Nature and Archaeology
The places to stay and the possibilities for things to do here are various. While Puerto Morelos still has the relaxed atmosphere
of a Mexican fishing village, the once laid-back town of Playa del Carmen is now filled with resorts as glitzy as those in Cancún and Cozumel.
The beaches, from Punta Tanchacté to Tulum, are beloved by scuba divers, snorkelers, birders, and beachcombers, and they have accommodations
to suit every budget -- from campsites to bungalows to luxury hotels.
Rustic but comfortable fishing and scuba-diving lodges on the secluded
Boca Paila and Xcalak peninsulas have a well-deserved
reputation for excellent bonefishing and superb diving on virgin reefs.
At the same time, because this coast is one of the most threatened by development,
there are ecotourism programs, such as the ones at Xcacel that allow visitors to help save the threatened sea-turtle population.
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An Ancient Civilization and the Modern World:
The area is also defined by Maya culture, by the modern Maya who live in the coastal cities and villages,
and by the ruins, such as those at Tulum, dramatically situated on a bluff overlooking the Caribbean, that
speak of their history.
Cobá, a short distance inland, has towering jungle-shrouded pyramids, testaments to
its importance as a leading center of commerce in the ancient Maya world. Farther south, recent digs at
Kohunlich have unearthed temples, palaces, and pyramids in the distinct Río Bec architectural style.
These have been beautifully restored, but they are still largely unvisited. At the Belizean border is the capital
of Quintana Roo, Chetumal, whose bright wooden houses and sultry sea air make it feel more Central American than Mexican.
During your trek along the coast, you'll meet expats from around the world running lodges and restaurants where you'd least
expect to find them. Chat with them for a bit and they'll surely tell you how they succumbed to the spell of the Caribbean
coast, unable to resist the urge to stay.
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